7:1
The next day Holofernes commanded all his army, and all his people who had come to join him, to move their camp toward Beit-Uluyah, and to seize beforehand the ascents of the hill country, and to make war against the sons of Yisra’el.
7:2
And every mighty ish moved out that day, and the force of their men of war was one hundred and seventy thousand infantry and twelve thousand horsemen, besides the baggage and the men who walked among them, an exceedingly great multitude.
7:3
And they encamped in the valley near Beit-Uluyah, by the spring, and spread out in breadth from Dothan to Belbaim, and in length from Beit-Uluyah to Kyamon, which is opposite Yizre’el.
7:4
And the sons of Yisra’el, when they saw their multitude, were exceedingly troubled and said one ish to his companion: “Now these shall lick up the face of all the earth. Neither the high mountains, nor the valleys, nor the hills shall bear their weight.”
7:5
And every ish took up his weapons, and they kindled fires upon their towers and remained on guard all that night.
7:6
But on the second day Holofernes brought out all his horsemen before the eyes of the sons of Yisra’el who were in Beit-Uluyah.
7:7
And he examined the ascents to their city, and searched out the springs of their waters, and seized them, setting garrisons of men of war over them. Then he returned to his people.
7:8
And all the rulers of the sons of Esav and all the leaders of the people of Moav and the commanders of the coastland came to him and said:
7:9
“Let our master hear a word, so that there may be no destruction in your army.
7:10
For this people, the sons of Yisra’el, do not trust in their spears, but in the heights of the mountains where they dwell, for it is not easy to ascend to the summits of their mountains.
7:11
Therefore now, my master, do not fight against them in the order of battle, and not one ish of your people shall fall.
7:12
Remain in your camp and guard every ish of your army, and let your servants seize the spring of water which flows from the foot of the mountain.
7:13
For all the inhabitants of Beit-Uluyah draw their water from there. Then thirst shall destroy them, and they shall surrender their city. And we and our people shall go up to the summits of the nearby mountains and encamp there as a watch, so that no ish goes out from the city.
7:14
And they, and their women, and their little ones shall waste away with famine, and before the sword comes against them, they shall be cast down in the streets of their dwelling.
7:15
And you shall repay them with an evil repayment because they rebelled and did not meet your face with shalom.”
7:16
And their words were good before Holofernes and before all his servants, and he commanded that they should do just as they had spoken.
7:17
So the camp of the sons of Ammon moved, and with them five thousand of the sons of Ashshur. And they encamped in the valley and seized the waters and the springs of the sons of Yisra’el.
7:18
And the sons of Esav and the sons of Ammon went up and encamped in the hill country opposite Dothan. And they sent some of their men toward the south and toward the east opposite Egrebel, which is near Khous, upon the stream Mochmur. And the rest of the army of Ashshur encamped in the plain and covered the whole face of the land. And their tents and baggage were spread out in an exceedingly great multitude.
7:19
Then the sons of Yisra’el cried out to Yahuah their Elohim, for their ruach fainted, because all their enemies had surrounded them, and there was no way to escape from among them.
7:20
And all the camp of Ashshur— their infantry, their chariots, and their horsemen— remained around them for thirty-four days. And every vessel of water failed for all the inhabitants of Beit-Uluyah.
7:21
And the cisterns were emptied, and they did not have water to drink their fill for one day, for water was given to them by measure.
7:22
And their little ones became faint, and the women and young men were exhausted from thirst. And they fell down in the streets of the city and in the passages of the gates, and there was no strength remaining in them.
7:23
Then all the people— the young men, the women, and the little ones— assembled themselves against Uzziah and the rulers of the city. And they cried with a great voice and said before all the elders:
7:24
“May Elohim judge between us and you, because you have done a great wrong against us by not speaking shalom with the sons of Ashshur.
7:25
And now there is no helper for us. Elohim has sold us into their hands to be cast down before them through thirst and great destruction.
7:26
Therefore now, call them and give the whole city for plunder to the people of Holofernes and to all his army.
7:27
For it is better for us to become their plunder than to die of thirst. For we shall become servants and our beings shall live, and we shall not see the death of our infants before our eyes, nor our women and our little ones fainting away in their beings.
7:28
We call as witnesses against you the heavens and the earth and our Elohim and the Master of our fathers, who punishes us according to our sins and according to the sins of our fathers, that He not do according to these words this day.”
7:29
And there was great weeping with one voice in the midst of the whole assembly, and they cried to Yahuah Elohim with a great voice.
7:30
Then Uzziah said to them: “Be strong, my brothers. Let us endure five more days, within which Yahuah our Elohim may turn His compassion toward us, for He shall not forsake us to the end.
7:31
But if these days pass and no help comes to us, I shall do according to your word.”
7:32
And he scattered the people, each ish to his own station. And they went to the walls and towers of their city, and sent the women and little ones to their houses. And they were exceedingly humbled in the city.